With the departure of long-term pillars such as Ravindra Jadeja And Ravichandran AshwinBadrinath believes CSK has finally embraced a ‘youth first’ philosophy to ensure the next decade of success.
CSK’s tactical masterstroke: the youth gamble
The biggest talking point during the auction was CSK’s aggressive pursuit of uncapped Indian players. The franchise has collectively spent a whopping ₹28.4 crore to secure Prashant Veer And Kartik Sharma. Badrinath notes that this is a clear departure from MS Dhoni-Stephen Fleming’s ‘safety first’ manual.
By acting for Sanju Samson (in exchange for Jadeja and Sam Curran), CSK have also resolved their long-term leadership and wicketkeeping succession plan, creating a top-heavy batting line-up designed for modern T20 aggression.
S. Badrinath predicts CSK to play 12 for IPL 2026
Based on the auction buys and squad balance, Badrinath’s favorite XII, picked on Star Sports, features a mix of fearless openers and a completely revamped spin department. Badrinath’s analysis focuses heavily on Prashant’s role. The loss of Jadeja was a huge blow, but Badrinath argues that Veer’s left-arm spin and explosive lower-order batting make him the ideal successor. Furthermore, the combination of Kartik and MS Dhoni at the back ensures that CSK remain one of the most dangerous finishing units in the league.
Also READ: ‘Missed a little trick’: Ravichandran Ashwin gave a blunt assessment of CSK’s performance in the IPL 2026 auction
Badrinath’s CSK 12 for IPL 2026:
| No. | Player | Role | Impact / Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ayush Mhatre | Opener | The Breakout Star; Badrinath’s pick for the most exciting young opener. |
| 2 | Sanju Samson | Opener / World Cup | The blockbuster trade; is expected to take the lead in the Powerplay. |
| 3 | Loture Gaikwad (C) | Top order | The anchor; who returns from injury and leads the “New Era” team. |
| 4 | Dewald Brevis✈️ | Middle Order | “Baby AB” provides the overseas muscles in the center overs. |
| 5 | Shivam Dubey | All-rounder | Low key as the main destroyer of spin bowling. |
| 6 | Kartik Sharma | Finisher / World Cup | ₹14.2 Cr Buy. and considered the ‘future of Indian finishing’. |
| 7 | MS Dhoni | Finisher | The “Mentor-Player” who will likely stoop lower to guide the young people. |
| 8 | Prashant Veer | All-rounder | ₹14.2 Cr Buy. The direct tactical replacement for Ravindra Jadeja. |
| 9 | Nathan Ellis✈️ | Tempo (dead) | Tactical choice; his cutters on the slower Chepauk tracks will certainly be an advantage. |
| 10 | Khaleel Ahmed | Tempo (left arm) | Provides the Powerplay swing and much-needed left arm angle. |
| 11 | Noor Ahmed✈️ | Wrist twist | The primary wicket taker; world-class quality at a young age. |
| 12 | Rahul Chahar | Impact sub | Badrinath suggests Chahar to double the spin dominance at home. |
No place for Sarfaraz Khan
A move that surprised many fans, but which Badrinath found no place for Sarfaraz Khan in his starting 12. Sarfaraz was picked in the accelerated round during the auction, but Badrinath’s selection indicates a preference for ‘specialist’ roles over Sarfaraz’s traditional playing style. By prioritizing the explosive power of Dube and the finishing potential of the expensive Kartik, the analyst suggests that there is simply no room in the current XI for Sarfaraz to fit into the tactical puzzle that Badrinath envisions for the Yellow Army.
Also READ: IPL 2026 auction: Chennai Super Kings (CSK) players’ salaries; see how much Sanju Samson and Prashant Veer earn
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